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Health and Human Development

Year 11 - Elective

Length of Course: Full Year
Department: Health and Physical Education
Head of Department: Miss Anna Rossetto
Year Available: 2025

Health and Human Development enables students to:

  • understand the complex nature of health and human development

  • develop a broad view of health and wellbeing, incorporating physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions

  • understand the biological, sociocultural and environmental factors that impact health and wellbeing

  • develop health literacy to evaluate health information and take appropriate and positive action to support health and wellbeing

  • develop understanding of the Australian healthcare system and the values that underpin it

  • apply social justice principles to identify health and wellbeing inequities and analyse health and wellbeing interventions

  • understand the importance of the United Nations’ (UN’s) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and evaluate the effectiveness of health and wellbeing initiatives and programs to support the achievement of the SDGs

  • propose and justify action to positively influence health and wellbeing, and human development, outcomes at individual, local, national and/or global levels.

Curriculum focus

Unit 1 - Understanding health and wellbeing

In this unit, students explore health and wellbeing as a concept with varied and evolving perspectives and definitions. They come to understand that it occurs in many contexts and is subject to a wide range of interpretations, with different meanings for different people. As a foundation to their understanding of health, students investigate the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition and other interpretations. They also explore the fundamental conditions required for health as stated by the WHO, which provide a social justice lens for exploring health inequities.

In this unit, students identify perspectives relating to health and wellbeing, and inquire into factors that influence health attitudes, beliefs and practices, including among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Students look at multiple dimensions of health and wellbeing, the complex interplay of influences on health outcomes and the indicators used to measure and evaluate health status. With a focus on youth, the unit equips students to consider their own health as individuals and as a cohort. They build health literacy by interpreting and using data in a research investigation into one youth health focus area, and by investigating the role of food.

Unit 2 - Managing health and development

In this unit, students investigate transitions in health and wellbeing, and human development, from lifespan and societal perspectives. They explore the changes and expectations that are integral to the progression from youth to adulthood. Students apply health literacy skills through an examination of adulthood as a time of increasing independence and responsibility, involving the establishment of long-term relationships, possible considerations of parenthood and management of health-related milestones and changes.

Students explore health literacy through an investigation of the Australian healthcare system from the perspective of youth and analyse health information. They investigate the challenges and opportunities presented by digital media and consider issues surrounding the use of health data and access to quality health care.

Assessment

The award of satisfactory completion for a unit is based on whether the student has demonstrated the set of outcomes specified for the unit. Teachers should use a variety of learning activities and assessment tasks that provide a range of opportunities for students to demonstrate the key knowledge and key skills in the outcomes. The areas of study, including the key knowledge and key skills listed for the outcomes, should be used for course design and the development of learning activities and assessment tasks. Assessment must be a part of the regular teaching and learning program and should be completed mainly in class and within a limited timeframe. All assessments at Units 1 and 2 are school-based. Procedures for assessment of levels of achievement in Units 1 and 2 are a matter for school decision. For this unit students are required to demonstrate two outcomes. As a set these outcomes encompass the areas of study in the unit.

Suitable tasks for assessment in this unit may be selected from the following:

  • a short written report, such as a media analysis, a research inquiry, a blog or a case study analysis

  • oral presentation, such as a debate or a podcast

  • a visual presentation such as a graphic organiser, a concept/mind map, an annotated poster, a digital presentation

  • structured questions, including data analysis.

Links

For more detailed information, please click on the link/s below:

Key Resource

 The following items are booklisted for this subject and exact details will be provided once subject selections have occurred:

  • Textbook

  • Edrolo Study Guide